Pezzetta being a healthy scratch on Tuesday likely indicates that Juraj Slafkovsky (shoulder) will make his return to the lineup from a three-game absence. The 26-year-old Pezzetta has zero point in three games with the Canadiens this season.
Phillips is yet to play in an NHL game this season. In 33 games with the Blackhawks last season, he registered 0 goals and 6 assists. The 23-year-old was a fifth-round pick of the Blackhawks in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft.
For the first time this season, Lapierre will be a healthy scratch. The 22-year-old Lapierre had an impact last season, scoring 22 points (8G / 14A) in 51 games, but has been held off the scoresheet in all seven contests so far this season.
Slafkovsky has missed the last three games due to a upper-body injury but was a full participant at the Canadiens' morning skate on Tuesday and could return to the lineup in the evening against the Seattle Kraken. The third-year Slovak forward was off to an impressive start this season, with six points (1G / 5A) in six games.
Spurgeon missed the majority of the 2023-24 season and has played all but the first two games of the 2024-25 campaign but will return to the lineup on Tuesday against the Pittsburgh Penguins. The 34-year-old Spurgeon has one assist in two games this season.
The Penguins are ranked worst in the league defensively, allowing an average of 4.3 goals per game, and are desperate to snap a five-game losing skid. Their most consistent netminder this season has been Blomqvist, and he will likely return to the crease on Tuesday against the Minnesota Wild. Blomqvist owns an unimpressive 3.34 GAA but, given the circumstances, has a very impressive .911 SV% in five games (2-3-0). The Penguins enter action on Tuesday as +103 home underdogs against the Minnesota Wild.
With Jared Spurgeon (lower-body) expected to return to Minnesota's lineup on Tuesday, Hunt has been sent down to the Iowa Wild (AHL). The 22-year-old Hunt suited up for one game with Minnesota this season, playing 8:01 time-on-ice.
The Senators, riding a two-game losing skid, will turn to Ullmark in the crease for the second time in the last three games after he made his return from a muscle-strain injury. Ullmark struggled in his return, allowing five goals on 27 shots (.815 SV%) in a 6-4 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. The Senators are scoring 3.75 goals per game thus far but have not received consistent support in their crease. They enter the action on Tuesday as -150 home favorites against the St. Louis Blues.
In game eight of the regular season, the Capitals will continue their goalie rotation and turn to Thompson between the pipes for the fourth time. Despite a mediocre 3.28 GAA and .884 SV%, Thompson has been serviceable in the crease, leading the Capitals to a victory in each of his starts (3-0-0). The Capitals enter action on Monday as +133 home underdogs against the New York Rangers, owners of an impressive 6-1-1 record.
Due to salary cap implications, Gaudette has regularly been a part of paper transactions assigning him to Belleville (AHL) despite being a lineup-regular in Ottawa this season. Gaudette has played all but one contest for Ottawa this season, scoring three points (2G / 1A) in seven games.
Ostapchuk was the 39th overall pick of the Senators in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. The 21-year-old was held without a point in seven games with Ottawa last season but had a respectable campaign in the AHL, scoring 28 points (17G / 11A) in 69 contests with Belleville.
Colton played 15:00 time-on-ice before exiting Monday's 5-2 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks due to a lower-body injury. The 28-year-old Colton was seen leaving the arena in a walking boot after the game and is expected to be out of the lineup for an extended period of time.
McDavid only played one shift on Monday night, exiting the game after only 37 seconds of ice time after awkwardly colliding into the boards. The superstar forward will return to Edmonton to be further evaluated. McDavid, averaging an absurd 1.7 points per game over the previous four seasons, had begun the 2024-25 campaign off to a slow start by his elite standards, with 10 points (3G / 7A) in 10 games. The Oilers lost Monday's contest 6-1 to the Columbus Blue Jackets and will be hopeful for positive news regarding McDavid's injury.
Doan is averaging 13:05 time-on-ice and has only two points (1G / 1A) in nine games this season after a considerably more productive trial run last season when he scored nine points (5G / 4A) in 11 games. After making him a healthy scratch on Monday, Utah is opting to send him down to Tucson where he can continue to play and further his development.
The Avalanche, riding a five-game winning streak, will turn to Georgiev between the pipes for the first time in 10 days. Georgiev backed up Justus Annunen for the last four games and will hope the rest helps him reset after a forgetful start to the 2024-25 season. In five games (1-3-0), Georgiev has an atrocious 4.99 GAA and .810 SV%. That said, Colorado enters the action on Monday as a sizeable -216 home favorite against the Chicago Blackhawks.
McDavid played just 37 seconds before exiting the game and now officially will not return. He appeared to injure himself after an awkward fall along the boards and skated off shortly afterwards. We should expect to receive an update on the status of his injury after Monday night's game.
The Jets, the only undefeated team in the NHL this season (8-0-0), have given Hellebuyck the night off in two of the last four contests but will return to their All-Star netminder on Monday night against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Hellebuyck has been outstanding to start the 2024-25 season, making an early-season case to win back-to-back Vezina trophies, posting a stellar 1.66 GAA and .940 SV% in six games (6-0-0). The Jets enter action on Monday as slight -110 home favorites against the Maple Leafs.
The Maple Leafs, riding a season-worst three-game losing streak (0-2-1), will turn to Stolarz in the crease for a second consecutive outing. Before Saturday's 4-3 overtime loss to the Boston Bruins when Stolarz allowed four goals on 34 shots (.882 SV%), he had allowed two or fewer goals in each of his previous five contests (3-2-0). The 30-year-old netminder has a solid 2.19 GAA and .927 SV% in six appearances. The Maple Leafs enter the action on Monday as slight -101 road underdogs against the undefeated Winnipeg Jets (8-0-0).
Tampa Bay will turn to Vasilevskiy between the pipes for the third straight game and the seventh time in eight contests this season. Vasilevskiy has been inconsistent this season, allowing three or more goals in four of his last five games (2-3-0), but is coming off a spectacular 32-save shutout, his first of the season, on Saturday in a 3-0 win over the Washington Capitals. Tampa Bay enters action on Monday as a -131 home favorite against the Nashville Predators.
